30 Quotes
by Aquamarine Shadows
Summary: Various oneshots/drabbles in response to a 30 part drabble/oneshot challenge -Quotes for the Lovers Challenge. Includes various fandoms and characters. See first chapter for challenge description.
1. Quote 1: Fuuka & Akito

Quote 1: Akito Hayama & Fuuka Matsui (Fuuka's POV)

"And what hurts more than losing you is knowing that you're not fighting to keep me"

-

I stood at the window, staring at the grey clouds that covered the sunlight. I had just been on the phone with my boyfriend, Aki. Usually it wouldn't make my day so sullen to hear from him, but this particular conversation was anything but what I wanted to hear.

_"Sana is coming back in a month," he said. "I hear she did well on her movie." I grew angry at those words. Tears threatened to brim over my eyes._

_"We should break up," I said._

_"What? I don't get it, Fuuka," he said._

_"Aki, all you ever talk about is Sana. You never talk about how your day has been or what you're doing in karate. I hear about Sana, but never about us," I said._

_"That's not what-"_

_"Save it, Aki! I'm sick of it! All I hear anymore is 'Sana this' and 'Sana that'!"_

_"I thought you two were friends?"_

_"That has nothing to do with __**us**__! Face it, Aki. There is no __**us.**__ There is only you and Sana."_

_"Fuuka-"_

_"Goodbye, Aki."_

_With those words, I hung up on Aki._

The next day I did not speak to anyone. Life went on as usual, but it was hard without someone to tell your thoughts to. Usually Aki and I talked about what was bothering me, but there was no longer any contact between us. There wasn't any attempt to make conversation or to even be friends.

'You don't know how hard it is, Aki. You don't know how hard it is to go on like we were. I hate losing you. I hate being jealous of Sana, but what hurts more than losing you is knowing that you're not fighting to keep me.'

-

This is part of the quote challenge I've been working on. LournaAsakura (from Quizilla) posted a oneshot/drabble challenge to use quotes that she listed. I don't have to use the quote in the text. It just has to have something to do with the fic. There's one quote for each chapter (which should be 30 chapters) I kinda tweaked the quote a little, but I thought this appropriate. The characters are Fuuka Matsui and Akito Hayama from Kodocha, fyi.


	2. Quote 2: Kai & Saya

Quote 2: Kai Miyagusuku & Saya Otanashi

"I would tell you that you rock my world but boy, you ARE my world"

0o0o0

"Hey, Kai! Order up!" Saya called and handed him a ticket. It was the reopening day of their late father's restaurant, and everything was going smoothly. The business was going smoothly, but Kai still wished that their brother Riku could see the business. He missed his little brother, but when he began to get sad, Saya's voice cheered him up.

"Coming right up!" he perked up from his latest thoughts of Riku. Saya flashed a cute little smile at the teenager, and he grinned back.

Some say such love for one's sibling should never be, but then again, Saya and Kai were not related by blood. There was nothing wrong with falling in love with his adopted sister, right? Being a chiropteran, Saya probably had no interest in him whatsoever. It was very likely that he would be no more than a sibling to her. They were just too different, the main difference being their species. A chiropteran and a human could never be; he thought otherwise though.

Kai heaved a heavy sigh as he returned to cooking his order. 'It will probably never happen,' he thought.

-

After a full day's work, the restaurant finally closed. Kai had been gloomy for most of the day, and Saya caught on to his change in mood.

"What's the matter, Kai?" Saya said with a slap on the back, bringing him out of his thoughts. "You're not still thinking about Riku, are you?"

"Saya... I- I've been thinking," he said. To his displeasure, she frowned in concern and gave him her full attention.

"You haven't been feeling guilty again, have you? Listen, I know it's hard, but you can't blame yourself for what happened. It was Diva's fault, and you know it." He thought back to the night that Saya's sister Diva decided to give Riku a taste of her blood after Saya had already given him hers. The mix of blood was too much for his small body to handle, and the young boy turned to stone. That night still haunted his dreams.

"That's not all. It's- it's about us." Kai grew slightly embarrassed and turned away from her. Before he could say anymore, she interrupted.

"I've been thinking, too. As you know, there's not much time left until I go into hibernation, and before I do, I wanted you to know my thoughts," she said. "We've been through a lot together, and seeing you this way makes me sad. Just know that whatever happens, you mean the world to me. Some would say such love is forbidden, but if it's you, that doesn't matter to me." Saya took his face in her hands and gave him a sad smile. Kai's expression brightened a little.

"I also think that. When you go back to sleep, I promise I will wait for you. Even if it's fifty years from now, I'll wait," he said.

A loving expression overtook his face. In response to his implied confession, she planted a small peck on his cheek. "Please don't be sad when I go; just remember the good times we've had and how much you mean to me."

"I can't promise I won't be even the slightest bit unhappy, but I'll never forget this day." Kai embraced her tightly, and Saya buried her face in his shoulder. It was a day neither of them would forget.

0o0o0

Quote 2 finished! The pairing isn't very popular, but I just love it. Before anyone goes there, it's not incest. They're not related by blood. I've never written a Blood + fic before, but the KaixSaya pairing just asked to be written. ^-^ Sorry if my background on the story is a little off; it's been awhile since I've seen the anime. I didn't really incorporate the quote into the story, but I tried my best. Hope you enjoyed!

~Kai (heh, funny how my penname is the same as one of the most important character's name. ^-^;)


	3. Quote 3: Matsumoto & Ichimaru

Quote 3: Rangiku Matsumoto & Gin Ichimaru

"He left me saying "you deserve the best" but if the best isn't him then I don't want it."

0o0o0

"Yo, Rangiku-san! Kira and I are going out drinking tonight. Wanna come?" Shuuhei asked. Under normal circumstances, Rangiku would have easily said yes, but today was a grim day for the busty vice-captain.

She sighed heavily and said, "Not today, Shuuhei. I'm just not feeling up to it." The ninth division vice-captain looked at her slightly confused before hesitantly walking away.

'I can't believe it's really been one year,' she thought. 'He really left that long ago.'

-

_Ichimaru Gin stood before her with a fox-like grin plastered on his face._

_"Let's go, Gin," Aizen said. The silver-haired captain followed his traitorous leader, and before taking a step futher, he turned back to look at his childhood friend's face once more._

_"I'm sorry, Rangiku. You deserve the best, and I cannot give you that. This is for your own good," he said. A bright light encased him and his fellow traitors, and Rangiku began to fall apart._

_"NO! Stop, Gin! Don't go!" She started to race toward the light that then pulled him upward, but she collapsed in agony._

_"Bye-bye!" was the last thing he said before giving her an apologetic smile._

_-  
_

"MATSUMOTO! Paperwork!" the voice of her captain brought her back to reality. For the millionth time that day, Rangiku sighed. She gave Hitsugaya a forlorn look before picking up her pen.

"Yes, Taichou," she said in a voice above a whisper. 'He left me saying "you deserve the best," but if the best isn't him, then I don't want it.'

0o0o0

My first MatsuGin! =) You could say this is a different take on when Aizen betrayed SS. Reviews are much appreciated. Hope you enjoyed!

~Kai


	4. Quote 4: Tohru & Kyo

Quote 4: Tohru Honda & Kyo Sohma

"I'm going to smile like nothing is wrong, talk like everything is perfect, act like it's all a dream. Pretend that it's not hurting me"

0o0o0

Tohru hummed a little tune as she finished cleaning up the kitchen. The Sohma's had gone back to the main house for New Year's, and she was left alone. Uo and Hana were with their families, and she was left alone with the best picture she had of her mother.

'Happy New Year's, Mom!' she smiled sadly at the thought of her late mother. Despite her efforts to keep from crying, a single tear slid down her face. Tohru dared not let Kyo or Yuki see her cry, so she did it in secret.

Meanwhile, Kyo was having a miserable time at the main house. He was not invited to the banquet like the other zodiac members. The cat was never invited. His thoughts began to drift to Tohru. Her bright smile, her positive attitude-- it all made him happier, even if it was the slightest joy. He began to wonder how she was doing and how she felt about being left alone on New Year's. Unbeknownst to him, it was the first New Year's since her mother passed away. Before Kyoko passed, she and Tohru always spent New Year's watching the sun rise together. Kyo still felt guilty for leaving her by himself.

Yuki entered the dark room in which Kyo sat sulking. "Akito wants to speak with you, stupid cat," he said. That's when he decided that he had had enough; he wasn't going to let Tohru stay by herself.

"Forget Akito!" he yelled. "I'm going home!" He stood up and started to leave the room.

Yuki saw how it was. An evil thought started to form in his mind. He wanted to play a trick on that stupid cat.

"Come to think of it, I heard there were burglars on the loose in our neighborhood," Yuki said innocently. Kyo stopped in his place, and his eyes grew wide.

"Oh, just great! Knowing her, she'd probably welcome them in for tea!" He smacked a hand to his forehead before rushing out of the room and away from the main house. 'How did she really feel when she watched us leave? How does she feel being left alone like that? I want to go home right now. I want to go home... to see her,' he thought.

"Idiot," Yuki snickered.

Kyo ran as fast as he could back to Shigure's house. He burst through the door, panting heavily. "I'm home!" he called. Tohru wiped her tearstained cheeks in an attempt to cover up the fact that she had been crying.

"Welcome home! Why are you back so early?" She smiled. Kyo leaned against the wall for support and frowned at her.

"Stop pretending... stop pretending everything is all right. It wouldn't kill you to say what you really think once in awhile," he said.

"Kyo, I-" Before she could finish, Kyo grabbed her wrist and pulled her outside.

"Let's watch the sunrise together." Tohru's cheeks were tinted slightly red, but he took no notice of it.

The two of them spent the rest of their night on the roof together. Right after the sun rose, Tohru fell asleep, her head in Kyo's lap. He smiled softly at the content look on her face while she slept peacefully.

0o0o0

A different take on Tohru's first New Year's at the Sohma house! Happy reading. ^-^

~Kai


	5. Quote 5: Uryu and Orihime

Quote 5: Inoue Orihime and Ishida Uryu

"Love is blind, is that why you don't see me?"

0o0o0

It was a snowy day in Karakura Town. Students hurried to the school to escape the cold temperatures. Others took it as an opportunity to play in the snow. Orihime and Tatsuki were in the midst of a snowball fight while Keigo attempted to convince Ichigo and Chad to join him in the making of a snowman. Without warning, a rogue snowball attacked the orange haired Shinigami. He looked around to see where it had come from, but he was distracted by the pile of snow that fell on his head from a nearby tree.

Orihime giggled at her favorite strawberry who was distressed. Originally his temper frightened her, but now she giggled every time he scowled or hit Keigo over the head. She dreamed of the day when the teenager would confess his love for her. She knew it would never happen. He would never look at her as more than a friend--not at all how he looked at Rukia. He always gave her a caring smile, one that Orihime would never see.

Ichigo shook his head to rid his hair of snow. She wondered how anyone could not love him like she did, yet she knew she might as well give up on him. They could never be anything more than friends.

The handicrafts club met after school that day, but she didn't listen to a word anyone said. Instead she stared out the window at Ichigo chasing after Keigo. She giggled quietly to herself. The president of the club, Ishida Uryu, noticed that she had not listened to a word he said. It irritated him slightly, but he let it go for the time being. Uryu knew that it was not him she smiled for; his rival, Kurosaki Ichigo, was the only one to capture her attention. He tried to talk to her many times, yet their conversations always led back to one thing: Ichigo. The carrot top annoyed him to no end, and what annoyed him even more was that Orihime only had eyes for him.

'They say love is blind; is that why you don't see me, Inoue?' He hoped that one day she would able to look at him the same way she did Ichigo.

0o0o0

My first IshiHime! =D I say this is cause for a celebration. haha Cookies for reviewers!

Happy reading,

~Kai


	6. Quote 6: Ulquiorra Schiffer

Quote 6: Ulquiorra Schiffer

"You said forever, and I believed it."

0o0o0

Ulquiorra stared in horror at Ichigo and his new Hollow form. They were monsters, Orihime and Ichigo. Ichigo attacked him with greater speed and more force. Ulquiorra couldn't hold him back much longer before he would tear him to shreds. Ichigo knocked his zanpakuto out of the way, and it fell to the ground below them. With one single slash stretching from his shoulder to his abdomen, Ulquiorra knew it was over. It was hard to believe that he had been beaten by trash like Ichigo Kurosaki.

Mizuki watched from inside the dome. Her heart shattered when she saw Ulquiorra begin to fall. She ran to him as fast as she could and just barely caught him in her arms before setting him on the ground. Tears threatened to fall from her chocolate brown eyes.

"Mi...zuki," Ulquiorra choked out. He put his hand on hers squeezed it. "Don't be sad." Mizuki shushed him and put her head on his chest.

"Don't talk," she said. "Please just stay with me, Ulquiorra." His uniform became soaked with her tears.

"I'll be with you always, Mizuki," he said weakly. Ulquiorra's vision started to fade in and out. The darkness was coming for him. Mizuki clutched the fabric on his shirt.

"Forever?"

"For...ever." Those were the famous last words spoken by Ulquiorra Schiffer for his love, Mizuki Tanaka. When she felt his breathing stop, she looked up at him with a mix of horror and agony. Her black hair was soaked in his blood and her face crimson with tearstains.

'You said forever, Ulquiorra, and I believed it.'

0o0o0

Eh... this one was kinda bad. I suppose I could've spent a little more time on it, but I wanted to get this request done ASAP. (It was a request from darkpriestess9990). Sorry for the shortness. I almost cried when I wrote it. XD

Happy reading,

~Kai


	7. Quote 7: Hitsugaya Toshiro

Quote 7: Hitsugaya Toshiro

"I've built a wall--not to block anyone out but to see who loves me enough to climb over it."

0o0o0

It was a warm summer night in Soul Society. A light breeze carried in the scent of lilies. Hotaru sat at her desk quietly filling out paperwork. A few of her fellow squad members had previously dropped by the tenth division headquarters to ask her to go out with them, but like many times before, she politely declined their offer. Some girls that tried to befriend her called her cold-hearted and antisocial, but this was not the case at all. Hotaru knew that if they truly liked her, they would try harder to be a part of her life. She was just waiting for someone to climb the wall she had built between herself and society; she wanted to see if there was really someone that cared for her that much.

Hotaru had always been a hardworking girl. The previous year she had been promoted to third seat. Her captain was grateful to her for making up for Matsumoto's paperwork, or lack thereof. Yes, Hotaru's captain, Hitsugaya Toshiro was the apple of her eye. Despite his cold personality, she believed that somewhere deep inside he was a caring person. She combed through her copper red hair with her fingers, and her eyes began to feel heavy. Soon she fell asleep at the desk with her pen still in her hand.

When Toshiro returned to the division barracks, he noticed his third seat asleep with her head resting on her arms. He shook his head and flashed a small smile at the sight of the sleeping girl. He grabbed a fleece blanket from the storage closet and wrapped it around Hotaru's tiny figure. Toshiro pried the pen from her fingers and took her paperwork.

When Hotaru woke up, she saw that her paperwork was missing. She looked around the room only to find her captain finishing her work for her. It was then that she found the one person willing to not only climb but tear down the walls that kept him from her.

0o0o0

This one was a request from happy-go-lucky-fairy (Quizilla). I think this is the first oneshot that I haven't used any dialogue whatsoever, but I'm glad it's not as short as the last one. XD Thanks for reading.

Happy reading,

~Kai


	8. Quote 8: Muguruma Kensei

Quote 8: Muguruma Kensei

"Courage is being scared to death but doing it anyways."

0o0o0

It was Drew's first mission since she joined the Gotei 13. She had been placed in the ninth division under Captain Muguruma and his vice-captain, Mashiro. Drew had always been hesitant when attacking. Her thoughts had a way of interrupting her concentration.

She led her team to district 78 of Rukongai, Inuzuri. There had been reports of Hollows attacking people and reports of high levels of reiatsu. They ran through the streets of Inuzuri in search of any suspicious activity, and the ground started to shake. A loud roar came from the Hollow behind them, and Drew's teammates shook in terror. It was as if they had never seen a Hollow before. Drew sighed and dismissed her teammares; she would take care of the Hollow if they wouldn't.

She drew her zanpakuto just as the Hollow was about to take a big bite out of her shoulder. She immediately blocked it, but her hands shook slightly under the pressure. This Hollow wasn't any ordinary one; it was a Menos Grande--an Adjuchas to be exact. Drew was pushed back from the force the Adjuchas put on her blade, and it began to form a blue cero in its mouth. She stared in horror at the beast, unable to move. The Hollow released the cero, and she was sure she was done for. She closed her eyes tight while she waited for the cero.

To her surprise, a tall, white figure stood before Drew, zanpakuto drawn. "Blow it away, Tachikaze," came her captain's voice. Tachikaze changed from a katana to a combat knife with a black hilt and guard. With one movement of his zanpakuto, the Adjuchas' arms and legs were cut off, and its mask was cut in two. Drew recognized the ability as his air blades.

"C-captain?" she said.

"Don't hesitate, Drew. It will only get you killed," Kensei said.

"But I'm not brave like you, Captain," Drew said. "I'm too afraid of what might happen."

"That doesn't mean anything. Courage is being scared to death but doing it anyways." Kensei's haori whipped in the wind, and he was certainly attractive. Drew was still impressed by her captain's performance, but she took his words to heart. She would hesitate no more.

0o0o0

I like Bleach, but some characters are kind of hard to write for... Kensei wasn't too bad because I remembered the time he saved Shuuhei. I hope you liked it, Verbophobic!

Happy reading,

~Kai


	9. Quote 9: Hitsugaya Toshiro

Quote 9: Hitsugaya Toshiro

"So scatter me across your sky; I'll shine all night, and just like a star, I'll fall for you."

0o0o0

It was a cold December night in Soul Society. A blanket of snow covered the ground. The streets of Seireitei were deserted because it was too cold outside, but Mizuki didn't care. She loved cold weather. In fact, that night was especially important. It was December 20th, the birthday of Hitsugaya Toshiro.

Mizuki held a small, blue gift box with a silver bow behind her back. She put her hand up to knock on the door of the tenth division headquarters, but she pulled it back in hesitation. Toshiro was a captain now. Surely he had forgotten about her. She was just a fourth seat. There's no way that he would remember her, but, on the other hand, how could he not? They had been friends for years before his promotion.

-

_Toshiro stood on a grassy hill behind the first division barracks. The sun had set, and stars began to shine in the twilit sky. He held a brown vice-captain's badge in his hands. He traced over the kanji for one on the front of the badge. He had just been promoted to the vice-captain of the first division under Yamamoto Genryuusai. He listened to the leaves of the trees rustle in the wind. All was peaceful until __**wham**__! He was tackled to the ground from behind._

_"Get off me, Mizuki," he said with a mouthful of grass. Mizuki rolled off of him onto her back._

_"You should be more aware for a vice-captain. If I was an enemy, you would be dead," the brunette said. "Congrats on the promotion, by the way."_

_"Thanks," Toshiro said. 'What a way to congratulate someone,' he thought. Mizuki rolled on her side and propped herself up on her arm to get a better look at him._

_"I want you to promise me something," she said. "Promise me that no matter how high you get promoted we'll still be friends." Toshiro flicked her forehead._

_"Stupid, I wouldn't forget you," he said. "How could I forget those big ears?" Mizuki frowned and covered her ears._

_"Meanie," she said. Toshiro laughed at the pouting girl._

_"Just kidding. I promise we'll still be friends," he said and ruffled her hair. She swatted his hand away and flopped over on her back again to look at the night sky. The moon was low in the sky, and a shooting star streaked across the night sky._

_"Look, Toshiro! It's a shooting star!" she said as she pointed to it. "Make a wish."_

_The two sat in silence for a moment while they made their wishes. Little did they know, they were wishing for the same thing._

-

It had been almost ten years since that night, and Mizuki and Toshiro had spoken very little since his promotion as a captain. Even when they did speak, conversation was short. All he could talk about was how annoying his vice-captain was and how much paperwork he had to do. She knew that he never even remembered his own birthday. He was too involved in his work.

Mizuki kept arguing with herself over whether or not to knock on the door, but before she could make up her mind, the white door opened. Standing in front of her was the childhood friend she had loved so much.

"M-Mizuki?" Toshiro said with wide eyes. "What are you doing here? Aren't you cold?"

"You forgot again," she said quietly, the blue box still behind her back. Toshiro looked at her confusedly. He had just opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about when she held the gift out to him and said, "Happy Birthday."

Toshiro took the gift from her hands and muttered a barely audible "thank you." The box was rather heavy for something so small. He untied the silver bow surrounding the box and opened the lid to see a snow globe surrounded by blue wrapping tissue. Standing in the center of the globe was his ice dragon, Hyourinmaru. He took the globe from the box and flipped it to stir up the snow.

"Mizuki, you didn't have-"

She cut him off, "I did. You're my best friend, Toshiro." The young captain smiled to himself and wrapped his arms around the girl.

"I hope that's not all I am to you," he said as he rested his forehead on hers, noses touching. He closed his eyes and captured her lips with his own. It was a moment before Mizuki finally shut her eyes and returned the kiss.

Mizuki was the apple of his eye, the sun that brightened his day, his shining star. Like a star, she shone when he needed her most and fell for him. His wish as well as hers had come true.

0o0o0

I know, I'm more than a week late for Toshiro's birthday. This was to make up for the extremely short Ulquiorra oneshot I wrote for darkpriestess9990 (not to mention not posting anything on the 20th). =( I still feel bad about that. Maybe I'll go back and rewrite it when I'm done with requests. I hope this one was better.

Happy reading,

~Kai


	10. Quote 10: Kurosaki Ichigo

Quote 10: Kurosaki Ichigo

"I love getting caught in the rain with you."

0o0o0

Rain pounded on the roof of Karakura High. Sydney stood in front of the entrance doors, watching the rain fall. She had left her umbrella at home again. Her mother told her to take it, but Sydney didn't listen. The sun was shining so brightly that rain seemed impossible--no, improbable. She contemplated on whether or not she should take her chances in the rain or wait until it stopped. Sydney realized she couldn't possibly wait all day for it to stop, so she grabbed a big text book from her bag and stepped outside under the canopy in front of the building entrance.

Sydney was just about to make a run for it when someone put a red umbrella over her head. She turned her head to see Ichigo frowning at her. His orange hair was slightly damp.

"You forgot again, Sydney," he said sternly. She laughed nervously.

"Well, I..." she trailed off.

"Whatever, I'll walk you home," he said. Sydney put her text book back in her bag and ventured out into the cold rain with Ichigo.

At that time of year, the weather was almost the same every day. The sun shined in the morning, and by noon it was pouring. Sydney had a habit of leaving her umbrella behind, even though she knew the sky would cloud up and start to pour. It wasn't forgetfulness, though. Every time Sydney left her umbrella at home, Ichigo let her share his umbrella with him. To her, it was like they were a couple walking home together. Even some of her classmates began to question the relationship between her and Ichigo.

When Sydney had begun to make a habit of not bringing an umbrella or even a raincoat, Ichigo wondered if she was really that forgetful. He asked her why she would do that every day and joked that she might've even done it on purpose. "You just want to walk home in the rain with me," he said, not realizing that he had hit the nail on the head.

"What can I say? I like walking in the rain with you," Sydney said. The two arrived at her front door. "Thank you," she said just before leaving a quick peck on his cheek.

Ichigo watched the thin brunette girl hurry in the house, his face quite red. He touched his hand to his cheek and stared at the door. He was caught off guard by Sydney's kiss. Even if it was just on the cheek, he would still be up thinking about it all night.

0o0o0

Most of these are a bunch of drabbles, so sorry if it's too short. Some of these quotes are kind of hard to come up with detailed oneshots for. That's what makes it a challenge, though. I might be taking a quote for a HitsuxSayu oneshot later, so that should be pretty easy.

Happy reading,

~Kai


	11. Quote 11: Kyoya Ootori

Quote 11: Kyoya Ootori

"People say hate is a strong word; but so is love, and people throw it around like it's nothing."

0o0o0

Mai sat at her desk studying for her college entrance exams. Her father had been pushing her extra hard to stay at the top of her class, but she just couldn't keep up. The Ootori boy, Kyoya, was way out of her league. No matter how much she studied, she would not be able to top his grades.

On top of studying, Mai had also recently put herself through management training for her family's company. Her mother and father had always feuded over the inheritance of the Takeda Corporation. By family tradition, the oldest child should be handed ownership of the company, but her father was strongly against handing his life's work over to a girl. He argued that her thirteen year old brother, Hideki, was the better heir. Her mother countered that Mai was more mature and prepared to lead an entire corporation. The last thing she wanted do was disappoint her family. She wanted her father's approval so badly that she devoted almost all of her time to activities he approved of. The majority of her time was spent in school, studying, management training, and chores. She tried so hard to get her father's attention that she had begun to wear herself thin. She closed her books and took off her glasses. She had enough work in one day, so she laid down on her bed and fell fast asleep.

-

The next day, Mai's French teacher, Madame Dubois, gave her the class period off. She had already completed her coursework for the next four weeks, and there was nothing left to do at the moment. The girl strolled through the hallways of Ouran Academy. The one time that she actually had free time, she didn't know what to do with it. The dark-haired girl came upon the old music room. It had been years since her father made her quit piano, but she wanted to visit the room one last time before completely throwing her old life away.

She turned the brass doorknob and slowly opened it. The picture in front of her was not at all what she would have expected. There were numerous women sitting in various areas of the room chatting over tea with men. The room was no longer used for musical purposes but instead the location of Ouran Academy's host club. She had heard about it before, but she never had any desire to see the place. She was too busy for such trivial matters. Mai stepped through the doorway and looked around. The environment was inviting and very relaxing.

"May I help you, Mademoiselle?" said a tall blonde boy. She recognized him as Tamaki Suou from her class.

"No thanks. I'm just here to kill some time," she said.

Tamaki grinned, "Well, in that case, you've come to just the right place!" He escorted her further into the room and over near a small, round table covered with papers. Sitting at the table was Kyoya Ootori, Mai's academic rival. Truth be told, she never considered him a rival, but her father always nagged at her for letting him beat her, for not doing the best she could.

"Kyoya, do me a favor and show this lovely lady around the host club. She said she has nothing to do," Tamaki said. Kyoya put down his pencil and clipboard, and he pushed up his glasses as he looked at her.

"Very well then," he said. "What would you like to see first, Takeda-san?"

Mai shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Whatever you'll show me first," she said. She wondered how he knew her name, but then she remembered that being an Ootori, he would be most likely to know large head of corporations and their families.

Kyoya introduced her to each of the host club members, each of whom welcomed her with much kindness. He explained to her that Tamaki created the club, and most of their time is spent entertaining those who have nothing better to do. His explanation was rather business-like, but Mai didn't mind. She was used to being talked to as if her whole life were a business matter. Although she would have preferred to be treated normally--not like some company executive.

The two sat down on one of the many sofas in the club room. Mai let out a long sigh and relaxed herself in the fluffy cushions.

"Your father is Hattori Takeda, head of the Takeda Corporation, correct?" Kyoya interrupted her thoughts. Mai's eyes dulled a little.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"You must have a lot to take on when you inherit the company. Your father is one of the Ootori's biggest clients," he said.

"My father doesn't want me to take over the head of the company. He thinks that I would let his whole life's work go down the drain and that my younger brother is a better heir."

Kyoya was silent for a moment. Mai's circumstances seemed fairly similar to his own. He had to surpass his two brothers in order to be his father's successor. It was stressful at times, and he did everything he could to be better than them. There were times when he thought that he should give up, but his competitive side kept him at par with his brothers.

"I wouldn't say there's no chance," he said. "In order to succeed the head of our family company, I have to exceed my two brothers."

Mai felt better about her current situation. Kyoya had to work much harder to get his father's attention. "I'll tell you what. If your father acknowledges you as his successor, then I'll make sure that my father accepts me as his," she said. Kyoya showed a small smile as to agree with her.

-

Mai eventually finished her French coursework for the rest of the term. She was given a daily free period for exceeding the class standards. She used that period of time to relax and visit the host club. It was her getaway from all the talk of good grades and who gets what. She regularly requested Kyoya, and the day came when Tamaki knew what she wanted without her asking.

Their conversations had become less and less business-like and more personal. They talked about school and happenings within the host club. Mai asked Kyoya how things were going with his father and about his life. A week or two after her regular visits, Kyoya made sure to set aside some time so he could speak with her and no one else. He became her comfort and she, his. Since meeting Kyoya, Mai had begun to smile more often. It used to be rare that one could find the young Takeda smiling. She always wore a serious, business-like expression. She somehow felt that she could let her guard down around the dark-haired boy.

One day during her visit, Kyoya told her of the annual party that his father held for the company. "Would you like to come? It's this Saturday. I'm sure your father would be impressed that you are already making connections with other companies," he said. Mai's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"O-of course," she said. "What time should I be there?"

"I'll pick you up at six," he said. He was going to pick her up? She was unsure if this party was supposed to be a business matter or a date. She told herself that there was no reason the Ootori would ask her to be his date. He would benefit from the connection as well.

-

"Absolutely not," Hattori said. "You are not to go to that party. I have arranged other plans for you."

Mai grew angry with her father's words, but she kept it to herself. The last thing she needed to do was to make him angry with her. "If I may ask, what exactly do you have planned for me?" she said calmly, yet in a cold tone.

"I have set up a meeting for your arranged marriage. The Nakayama family has proposed that their son, Takuya, marry you in order to better relations between the companies. You are to marry him to ensure that the Nakayama family remains faithful to the Takeda Corporation," he said.

"What if I don't marry him?"

"I will forever disown you as my child. You will marry Takuya Nakayama, and that's final," Hattori said sternly.

"Yes, father."

Mai quickly returned to her room and picked up her cell phone. She seriously thought about calling Kyoya, but she hesitated. What would he say? That she should marry a complete stranger? She didn't know what she would do if he said that. Mai had no desire to take such a big step in her career before she even started it. She flipped open her phone in the dark room and dialed Kyoya's number. She waited a few seconds for him to pick up.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Kyoya, it's me," she said grimly.

"What's wrong, Mai? You don't sound well," he said. The dark-haired girl fought back the tears threatening to spill over her eyes and pushed her glasses up.

"It's my father. He- he-" her voice started to crack, "set up an arranged marriage for me."

On the other side of the line, Kyoya's heart raced. Had he heard her correctly? He regained his cool and said, "I see. Meet me at the docks next to the Ootori main warehouse."

Mai smiled sadly. "Ok. I'll see you soon. Bye," she said.

"Bye."

Mai quietly searched through her room for her jacket and slipped on a pair of shoes. She opened the door and saw that the hallway light was shut off, and there was no sign of activity downstairs. She carefully treaded down the stairs and snuck out the back door. It took a few minutes to reach the docks. When she got there, Kyoya was sitting on the edge of the pavement looking down at the water below. He looked up and noticed her walking to him. He waved her over to him, and she took the place next to him.

"So your father arranged a marriage for you," he mused.

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"Which is more important to you: pleasing your father or having the freedom to do what you want?" he said. Mai stayed silent for a few seconds. She had always wanted to please her father, but she had never truly been allowed the freedom to much of anything outside of school and work. Up until that point in her life, both things had been equally important to her, but this time was different. She was on the verge of insanity. Working day after day to gain Hattori's trust was wearing her out. Things needed to change.

"I want to do what I want," she said. Kyoya had also been raised under strictly business circumstances, and he could see why Mai had begun to feel that way. His whole reason for meeting her at the docks was to keep her from being unhappy. He loved to see her smile, and he couldn't stand to see her sad.

"Then tell him that," he said. He put his arm around her and held her close. "I don't want to see you hurt anymore."

Mai looked up at him with a puzzled face. Kyoya was one of her best friends, but she never expected him to say something like that. She figured he was more about the business than happiness, but apparently she was wrong. He knew that love wasn't something you could force through a business deal. Hattori threw the word around like it was no big deal, but he was wrong.

"Thank you," she said and hugged him back. Kyoya held her cheek in his hand and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. He leaned closer to her and touched her forehead with his.

"Anytime," he said. Mai closed her eyes as her lips met with his. She returned his kiss with equal passion and ran her fingers through his hair. She then decided that her freedom to be with Kyoya was far more important than being her father's wind-up toy.

0o0o0

That must be one of the longest oneshots I've ever written... This was a request from StoryReader888 from Quizilla. It didn't take as long as I thought it would to write it. I quite enjoyed doing it. =) I hope you liked it! Reviews much appreciated.

Happy reading,

~Kai


	12. Quote 12: Kaname Kuran

Quote 12: Kaname Kuran

"Just when I thought that I ran out of reasons to smile, you came along."

0o0o0

Ayame cringed in annoyance as she listened to the crowd of girls cheer outside the gate. She always hated walking through the Cross Academy during the day. The night class's fans were far too annoying for her taste, but today was especially irritating--Valentine's Day. Every year was the same: tons of girls would crowd around the gate to give Kaname and Aidou homemade chocolates and cards, and every time they would accept them with no intention of going out with them. Ever.

Ayame readied herself for the hoard of girls that would trample anyone in their way once the guardians opened the gate. As she expected, the two guardians were barely able to control the love drunken girls.

_"Kaname-sama! Take my gift! My heart is yours!"_

_"No, take mine, Kaname-sama! I made this chocolate just for you!"_

_"Forget them! You'll like my present better, Kaname-sama!"_

Kaname tried to make his way past the girls shoving gifts in his face and bowing at his feet. Ayame stumbled and fell as she was shoved by a particular group advancing the pure blood. She put her arms up defensively to avoid getting too trampled, but when she looked up, no one was even close to stepping on her. Kaname held out his hand to the dark haired girl. She moved her long hair out of her face before taking his hand and standing up.

"Thanks," she said. Kaname merely smiled at her.

-

Ayame relaxed on the sofa in the main room of the moon dorm. It was a long day. She had been offered a couple valentines herself, but not near as many as Ruka or Kaname. Instead of graciously accepting them as Kaname and Aidou had done, she politely declined the offers.

"Ayame-chan," Kaname's low voice came from behind. Ayame snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the pureblood before her. He held out a wine glass filled with a blood tablet mixed with water.

"Thank you, Kaname-sama," she said as she took the glass. "Especially for this afternoon."

"There's no need to be so formal," he said, sitting down next to her. "It was no trouble at all. I couldn't just leave you on the ground like that." That wasn't the only time he helped her when she was down. To that day Ayame still remembered how he protected her from the vampire hunters that killed her parents, how he held out his hand to her, and how warm his voice was when he spoke to her. She still remembered the words he said to her, the three words that started it all: "Come with me."

Ayame owed Kaname a lot. She couldn't possibly make it up to him for completely changing her life, but she could at least stand behind him and support him. Kaname was the reason that she smiled, the reason she had the will to live. She placed her hand on his and whispered in his ear, "Thank you so much," before placing a kiss on his cheek.

0o0o0

This really sucked. DX You might think differently, but I say it because I don't like reading Kaname oneshots. Sorry, I just can't stand the guy. It was a request from selen91 from Quizilla, so I did it anyway. It's really late though. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Kuran annoys me that much. I don't know why. He just does...

Happy reading,

~Kai


	13. Quote 13: Allen Walker

Quote 13: Allen Walker

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."

0o0o0

Sara tossed and turned in her bed. She thrashed her covers about and covered her head with a pillow, as if to block out some sort of noise, but aside from her squirming, all was quiet. The full moon shone brightly in the room, illuminating the shadows of the night. Despite the calming environment, Sara's night terror continued throughout the night.

She heard whispers in the darkness: _"Why did you do it, Sara? Why didn't you look before you crossed? This is all your fault, Sara."_

Time after time the same scenario played in her mind--always that same day.

-

A short, young blonde grinned widely at her. Her grey-blue eyes looked at her kindly as she held her hand out to Sara. "Let's go hang out in the park, Sara!" Allie said in a chipper voice.

Sara took her best friend's hand and led her to their secret base. It was a small, rickety shack that the park workers used for maintenance, but no one ever went in it. It was special to the two girls. Just as Sara stepped onto the pavement to cross the street, a swerving truck raced toward her. She never saw the onyx 4x4 speeding up as it neared her, so she unknowingly stepped further out into the road.

"Sara!!!" Allie pulled her best friend back and somehow swung around, ending up in the same spot she had been in a second ago. The drunk driver took no notice of the blonde as he crashed right into her frail body. The 4x4 finally screeched to a stop after Allie's body collided with the grill of the truck. Sara didn't believe her eyes.

Crimson blood covered the pavement and the front of the truck. This is all a dream, Sara told herself as she stared hopelessly at Allie's unmoving body. "Allie!!!" she screamed. Tears streamed down Sara's face as she clung to her friend for dear life. "Don't leave me, Allie!"

-

_"All your fault,"_ the whispers came again. Every so often at night, Sara would think about what would have happened had she not walked blindly across the street, where Allie would be right now, what she would say to her. Would they still be friends? I wouldn't be friends with me, she thought. A few small tears escaped from her tightly shut eyes.

Sara sat up in her bed after hearing a mysterious chuckle in the shadows. She stood up and walked to the glass French doors. As her feet stepped onto the cool patio, Sara felt a numbness throughout her entire being. A plump, dark figure in a grey hat came forward and smiled grimly at her.

"Why, hello my child," he said. "I've come to make an offer for you." Sara's eyes held a guarded look toward the intruder. "Your friend, Allie, was it? Would you like to tell her you're sorry? To say goodbye?"

"But how--" Sara was cut off.

"It's magic, dear girl, divine magic. If you agree to a contract, I will let you have Allie," said the mysterious man. Sara's eyes rested on his pointed ears and top hat. If it had not been for the strange manner in which he presented himself to her, she would have said "yes" without a doubt, but something kept her from responding to him.

"Stop! Don't do it!" A young boy, close to Sara's age sped toward her and the plump man. His white hair shined brightly under the moonlight. "The Millenium Earl is only going to hurt you. Don't let him make you and your friend suffer," the boy put his hands firmly on Sara's shoulders. "She wouldn't want that, so please.... Don't do it."

Sara looked wondrously into the boy's blue-grey eyes. They look worn with knowledge, she thought, as if he has seen many things in life. Looking into his eyes reminded her so much of Allie's. Sara could not pull her own away from him. "O-ok. I won't..." she said absently. The Millenium Earl huffed before disappearing after her decline.

"Your friend is probably better off not being back. If the Millenium Earl had drug up her soul, she would have been in a lot of pain," he said. Sara snapped back to reality at the sound of his gentle voice.

"Thank you," she said, noticing his gloved hands. Her eyes started to water again. She couldn't hold up the facade of happiness around him like she could her family. She was going to fall apart in front of a complete and total stranger.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet! Sorry, I'm Allen Walker. Nice to meet you," he said. Sara looked up at him with forlorn eyes.

"Hi, Allen. I'm Sara," she forced out. She took another glance face, his eyes half-open in the same way that Allie looked at her when she wanted to help Sara. Sara just couldn't hold it in anymore, so she broke down in tears. Allen simply stood in his place and let the girl's tears soak the fabric of his uniform.

"Allie, I want Allie!" Sara sobbed. "I can't stand living without her. It's just not the same." It was the first time that Sara had let everything out since Allie's death. Sure, she had let a few tears slip, but never like this.

Allen hushed her. "Allie is still with you. You can talk to her anytime you want, so don't be sad, Sara," he said quietly. "Listen, I gotta go right now, but I'll be back tomorrow to check up on you."

Sara looked up at him with a crimson stained face and wiped her eyes. "Thank you, Allen," she smiled sadly.

-

The next night, Allen showed up on the patio outside of Sara's room as promised. He just sat and let her tell him about how she and Allie used to play, what she looked like, and about the dreams she had about her. Not all of the dreams were nightmares. Often Allie would sit somewhere distant from Sara and not speak a word. She just sat and watched Sara like a guardian angel, her silent angel. She told Allen of how she felt empty without her and how seeing her in her dreams relaxed her.

Every night since, Allen visited Sara on a regular basis. Instead of always talking about Allie, they started up normal conversations. After waving goodbye to him one night, Sara crawled back in bed and shut her eyes tightly. It was well past midnight, but she couldn't help but stay awake. She couldn't wait to see Allen the next time.

0o0o0

Sorry it's so late... If you read my QZ journals or my blog, you know where Sara and Allie come from. I couldn't stop myself from adding it in one of my stories. I hope you liked it, CrazyRabidMonkey. =)

Happy Reading,

~Kai


	14. Quote 14: Urahara Kisuke

Quote 14: Urahara Kisuke

"I can't make you love me if you don't."

0o0o0

For the first time in his entire existence, Urahara Kisuke was heartbroken. His childhood friend, the one person he thought was his true soul mate, his first love, walked out of his life. He never meant for things to end up this way. He never thought he could feel so empty. After all, he and Yoruichi had been friends for at least a hundred years. Periodically throughout the day he would remember the last time he saw the Flash Goddess.

"Kisuke, I can't keep protecting you anymore. I've already got my hands full with just keeping Ichigo-kun headed in the right direction. I just don't have time anymore," the purple haired woman said. "I have to leave for a very long time. There are things I need to take care of, and I can't afford to waste any time. I'm sorry, Kisuke."

As he watched his friend walk away, he knew very well the reason for her leaving was not what she said. Their relationship had been strained for the past few weeks ever since the day he decided to tell her his thoughts. Kisuke confessed to Yoruichi, but she turned him down instantly. He couldn't help but think that it was all his fault, that he drove her away.

Sapphire stayed with Kisuke the night after Yoruichi left. She worried that he would've done something drastic if she hadn't stuck around. She looked out the window at the shopkeeper on the porch. She put down the box of gikongan she had been unpacking and went outside to sit with him.

"You have to stop beating yourself up, Kisuke," she said as she put her arm around his shoulder. "It was Yoruichi's decision to leave. You didn't make her."

She waited for Urahara to say something, hoping he would at least talk to her, but he wouldn't even look at her. "Look at me, Kisuke." She took his face in her hands and forced him to turn toward her.

"I'm sorry, Sapphire. It's just-"

"Shut up and listen to me," she interrupted. "You can't make someone love you if they don't. This just means it wasn't meant to be. Sometimes letting go is the best thing you can do for someone you love. That's what Yoruichi needs, and that's what you need."

The slender brunette released his face and embraced him in a tight hug. "Sometimes," she muttered, "what you need is right in front of you, but you just can't see it..."

"What did you say?" Urahara said, wondering if he'd heard her correctly. Sapphire let him go and turned her face away from him.

"It's nothing. Just cheer up for me, alright?" she said with a slight smile and pulled his bucket hat down tightly over his head. "Now get your lazy butt off that porch and get back to work." For the first time in a few days Kisuke smiled. If only he knew what a simple smile did for Sapphire.

_'If only you knew, Kisuke...'_

0o0o0

Ah... fail. =\ I didn't mean for it to be sad. It was a request from UraharaSteph. My stuff just comes out that way anymore...

Review please?

~Kai_  
_


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